Ceiling lining,in particular for a suspended ceiling



G. c. VERMEULEN 3,548,556

IN PARTICULAR FOR A SUSPENDED CEILING Dec. 22, 1970 CEILING LINING FiledMarch 1, 1968 FIG.1

FIG.2

FIG.3'

INVENTOR GERRRDLLS C. VERHEuLEA ATTORNEYS 3,548,556 CEILING LINING, INPARTICULAR FOR A SUSPENDED CEILING Gerardus Cornelis Vermeulen,Rotterdam, Netherlands,

assignor to Hunter Douglas International Ltd., Pointe Claire, Quebec,Canada Filed Mar. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 709,740 Claims priority,applicatigrsi 2*(Zgrmany, Mar. 8, 1967,

1m. (:1. Etl4b 5/54 US. Cl. 52-492 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThe invention relates to a ceiling lining, in particular for a suspendedceiling, where thin-walled elongated lamellae with their longitudinaledges turned over ininwardly are arranged on preferably mushroom-shapedlugs of transverse beams of channel-shaped or nearly channel-shapedcross-section so that the lamellae can be snapped on the lugs.

The lamellae of these linings have usually a flat centre part, fortechnological, aesthetic, and acousitc reasons. The linings withlamellae which can snap in position have the disadvantage that sometimesstresses remain in the material after the assembling operation, onaccount of the snap action, with the result that the fiat centre piecesof the lamellae are deformed. These deformations are clearly visible,even though they are only slight, and mar the aesthetic effect.Moreover, permanent damage to the thin-walled longitudinal edges of thelamellae often remains after snapping them around the narrow, preferablymushroom-shaped lugs of the beams.

The aforementioned disadvantages are avoided in the lining according tothe invention in that each longitudinal edge of the lamellae comprises acontinuous inwardly directed profile on or near its free longitudinaledge with which the lamellae are suspended without stresses from theinner sides of the laterally projecting ends of the mushroom-shapedlugs, the edges of the lugs running parallel to the plane of the ceilingand the lamellae making contact with the lugs only via said profiles.

The disadvantages mentioned in the introduction to the presentspecification are most important in what is known as closed ceilingsbecause the lamellae are arranged there one adjoining the other, oragainst intermediate filling profiles. An advantageous embodiment ofthis ceiling lining and/or a lamella for a ceiling lining respectivelyaccordingly relates to a closed ceiling and is characterized in that thelamellae are unsymmetrical and the lugs of the beam are arranged next toeach other in such a way that the lamellae overlap each other. A veryeffective closed ceiling is arrived at if according to a further featureof the invention each lamella has a preferably flat centre piecemerginging along one longitudinal side at an obtuse angle into a planeside surface, the longitudinal edge of which is bent in a parallel ornearly parallel direction back to the centre piece, and the centre pieceon the other longitudinal side merges at an obtuse angle into a firstside face part, which in turn blends into a second side face partextending parallel or nearly paral- United States Patent 0 lel to theside face of the other centre piece, the longitudinal edge of thissecond side face part being likewise bent back parallel or nearlyparallel to said centre piece.

A further advantage of the invention results from another embodiment ofthe lining and a beam therefor respectively and is characterized in thatthe beam legs diverge and each leg has at the base of the projections anoutwardly extending horizontal part and the lugs are situated in a planeparallel to the plane of the first diverging part of the leg. This beamhas the advantage that each pair of lugs provided transversely to thelength of the beam and facing each other (with one lug on each leg) arearranged with a greater spacing than with the beams made in the past.This arrangement also reduces the risk of deformation because the forcesact in a less concentrated manner on the longitudinal edges of thelamellae.

A particularly convenient second advantage of this beam consists in thepossibility of placing acoustic sheetlike material on the outwardlyextending horizontal parts of the legs. Such material is preferablyfixed to the beams by means of adhesive tape.

The invention will now be explained more in detail with reference to theappended drawings, in which some embodiments of a ceiling and/or thelamellae and beams according to the invention are shown by way ofexample.

In the illustrations:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a beam part with the lamellae snapped on it,

FIG. 2 a side view of a beam part with asymmetrical overlapping lamellaesnapped on it, and

FIG. 3 a cross-section through a beam.

Beam 1 is a channel section with diverging legs. Each leg has preferablymushroom-shaped lugs 2 arranged with predetermined interspacing. Eachlug 2 has projecting ends with an upward fiat part 3 on which theturnedover parts 4 of the lamella 5 rest. The lamellae are suspendedfrom the projecting ends of lug 2 without any stresses and have insidedimensions which are greater than the outside dimensions of the lug sothat the lamellae ret on the lug with some play. It is evident that theplay between the lugs and the lamellae need only be small.

The same applies for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 but here lamellae 6are of nonsymmetrical design and the lugs are placed more closelytogether so that the successive lamellae overlap. The recesses above theprojecting ends of the lugs are slightly longer than in FIG. 1. Thissimplifies assembly and removal of the lamellae. Consequently thelamellae can be shifted slightly sideways, after a last lamella has beentaken out, so that they can be pulled off the lugs with the aid of asimple tool, and can be replaced and snapped on again by hand.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the beam according to the presentinvention. The space between the two lugs 2 is much greater than in thebeam used so far as shown by dotted lines 2'. Consequently the deformingforces acting on the lamella edges when snapping the lamellae intoposition are no longer concentrated on a small area. FIG. 3 also showsthe additional advantage of mounting sound-absorbing material.

I claim:

1. A lining for a ceiling, in particular a suspended ceiling havingthin-walled elongated lamellae with inwardly bent longitudinal marginalportions, arranged on preferably mushroom-shaped lugs of beams having asubstantially channel-shaped cross-section and being arrangedtransversely to said lamellae, said lamellae consisting of a springymaterial so that they may be snapped onto said lugs, each inwardly bentlongitudinal marginal portion having an inwardly directed profiledportion which is substantially parallel to the lining surface and withwhich the lamellae are loosely suspended without stresses from the innersides of the laterally projectig ends of the mushroom-shaped lugs, thelamellae being only in contact with said lugs via said inwardly directedprofiled portion.

2. A lining for a ceiling, in particular a suspended ceiling havingthin-walled elongated lamellae with inwardly bent longitudinal marginalportions, arranged on preferably mushroom-shaped lugs of beams having asubstantially channel-shaped cross-section and being arrangedtransversely to said lamellae, said lamellae consisting of springymaterial so that they may be snapped onto said lugs, each inwardly bentlongitudinal marginal portion having an inwardly directed portion whichis substantially parallel to the lining surface and which is providedwith a curled end portion with which the lamellae are loosely suspendedwithout stresses from the inner sides of the laterally projecting endsof the mushroom-shaped lugs, the lamellae being only in contact withsaid lugs via said curled end portions.

3. A lining for a ceiling, in particular a suspended ceiling, having athin-walled elongated lamellae with inwardly bent longitudinal marginalportions, arranged on preferably mushroom-shaped lugs of beams having asubstantially channel-shaped cross-section and being arrangedtransversely to said lamellae, said lamellae consisting of springymaterial so that they may be snapped onto said lugs, each inwardly bentlongitudinal marginal portion having an inwardly directed profiledportion which is substantially parallel to the lining surface and withwhich the lamellae are loosely suspended without stresses from the innersides of the laterally projecting ends of the mushroom-shaped lugs, thelamellae being only in contact with said lugs via said inwardly directedprofiled portion, the side portions of each lamellae beingnonsymmetrical in cross-section with respect to each other and the lugsof the beams being arranged at such a distance from one another that theadjoining lamellae have overlapping portions.

4. A lining for a ceiling, in particular a suspended ceiling havingthin-walled elongated lamellae with inwardly bent longitudinal marginalportions, arranged on preferably mushroom-shaped lugs of beams having asubstantially channel-shaped cross-section and being arrangedtransversely to said lamellae, said lamellae consisting of springymaterial so that they may be snapped onto said lugs, each inwardly bentlongitudinal marginal portion having an inwardly directed profiledportion which is substantially parallel to the lining surface and withwhich the lamellae are loosely suspended without stresses from the innersides of the laterally projecting ends of the mushroom-shaped lugs, thelamellae being only in contact with said lugs via said inwardly directedprofiled portion, each lamella having a substantially flat centreportion merging along one of its longitudial sides at an obtuse angleinto a plane inclined side portion having its longitudinal edge portioninwardly bent substantially parallel to the centre portion, said centreportion merging at its other longitudinal side at an obtuse angle intoan inclined side portion, which in turn blends into an inverselyinclined side portion in a direction substantially parallel to theinclined side of the first-mentioned longitudinal side, the longitudinaledge portion of the inversely inclined side portion of the secondlongitudinal side of the lamella being inwardly bent substantiallyparallel to the centre portion of the lamella.

5. A lining for a ceiling, in particular a suspended ceiling havingthin-walled elongated lamellae with inwardly bent longitudinal marginalportions, arranged on preferable mushroom-shaped lugs of beams having asubstantially channel-shaped cross-section and being arrangedtransversely to said lamellae, said lamellae consisting of springymaterial so that they may be snapped onto said lugs, each inwardly bentlongitudinal marginal portion having an inwardly directed profiledportion which is substantially parallel to the lining surface and withwhich the lamellae are loosely suspended without stresses from the innersides of the laterally projecting ends of the mushroom-shaped lugs, thelamellae being only in contact with said lugs via said inwardly directedportion, the beams having diverging legs, each leg having an outwardlybent substantially horizontal portion, followed by an end portion whichis substantially parallel to the first diverging portion of said leg,said last-mentioned leg portion being provided with said lugs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,814,999 12/1957 Reeves 524783,226,898 1/1966 Blok 52-492 3,336,705 8/1967 Vecchiarelli et al. 52222FOREIGN PATENTS 728,348 2/1966 Canada 52222 ALFRED C. PERHAM, PrimaryExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R. 52404, 478, 669

